A motor vehicle contains an electrical system that typically includes a switch for turning the engine on and off. Such a switch is commonly referred to as an ignition switch. One type of ignition switch that is used in motor vehicles is a key-operated, mechanical switch. When the shaft of a correct metal key is inserted into the switch, the protruding base of the key may be turned to operate the switch from an OFF position to a selected one of one or more additional positions. Such additional switch positions may include ON (or RUN) position, START position, and ACCESSORY position. In an electrical system of a motor vehicle, the ignition switch typically controls the delivery of electricity to an engine electrical system. When the ignition switch is operated to ON position, the engine electrical system is energized, allowing the vehicle engine to be started when the switch is further operated to START position, and after having been started, to continue to run until the switch is finally turned to OFF position.
It is known to mount ignition switches in both steering columns and instrument panels. In a vehicle such as a medium or heavy truck, ignition switch mounting in the instrument panel is believed more common than in the steering column. An ignition switch mounting location that is convenient for a driver in a particular vehicle may however be poorly suited for compliance with certain governmental laws and/or regulations relating to that vehicle. For example, the protruding portion of an ignition switch key whose shaft is inserted into an ignition switch may be disposed in a location that could be deemed non-compliant with such laws and/or regulations. But an ignition switch mounting location that avoids such non-compliance may be objectionable from other standpoints, such as driver inconvenience, or requiring the mounting locations of other devices to be changed. While the use of ignition switches that do not require metal keys, such as those having keypads for entering access codes, or those that read coded devices such as cards, may avoid non-compliance with such laws and/or regulations, they are apt to involve the use of additional hardware and software, and may be more expensive than the mechanical, key-operated ignition switches presently used in many vehicles. Hence, it is believed desirable to retain the use of key-operated ignition switches, provided that they can be mounted in ways that achieve compliance with law and/or regulation without excessive inconvenience to the driver.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a new and unique ignition switch mounting that is conveniently accessible to a driver, that uses a mechanical ignition switch operated by a conventional metal key, and that is believed to comply with relevant governmental laws and/or regulations relating to motor vehicles. Briefly, the invention relates to a mechanism that integrates such an ignition switch with a knee bolster.
A knee bolster comprises a structure that is disposed in the occupant compartment of a motor vehicle, such as the cab of a truck, below the instrument panel and frontally of an occupant's knees. Various forms of knee bolsters are known. One purpose of a knee bolster is to provide an abutment for the knees of a seated occupant in the event of a frontal collision in which the occupant tends to move forward within the occupant compartment. An objective of such abutment is to avoid occurrence of a phenomenon known as occupant submarining. Because a knee bolster is intended to be impacted by an occupant's knees, it is ideally constructed to avoid impact injury to the knees.
The invention, in one general respect, may be considered to relate to an automotive vehicle comprising an engine for propelling the vehicle, an occupant compartment comprising an instrument panel to the rear of which an occupant of the vehicle may be seated, and a key-operated switch for turning the engine on and off. A knee bolster is disposed below the instrument panel frontally of the occupant's knees and comprises a zone that is open toward the occupant. A movable cover selectively closes and opens the open zone, including, when closing the open zone, covering a key that has been inserted into the switch and manipulated to operate the switch to turn the engine on, and when opening the open zone, rendering the switch accessible for allowing a key to be inserted into the switch, the key manipulated to operate the switch, and the key to be removed from the switch.
In another general respect, the invention may be considered to relate to an ignition switch mounting in an automotive vehicle comprising a knee bolster disposed forward of knees of a seated occupant in the vehicle and comprising a zone that is open toward a seated occupant in the vehicle. An ignition switch is accessible through the open zone to allow a key to be inserted into and removed from the switch. A movable cover selectively closes and opens the open zone, including covering a key inserted into the switch when the key is inserted into the switch and the cover is closing the open zone.
In still another general respect, the invention may be considered to relate to an ignition switch mounting in an automotive vehicle comprising a vehicle panel. The panel comprises an open zone and a key-operated ignition switch. A movable cover selectively closes and opens the open zone. A mounting mounts the ignition switch and can be displaced bodily relative to the open zone selectively to a retracted position and to an extended position, thereby similarly bodily displacing the ignition switch. A key can be inserted into the ignition switch when the cover is opening the open zone and mounting is in the extended position, and the cover covers a key inserted into the switch when the mounting is in the retracted position and the cover is closing the open zone.
The foregoing, along with further features and advantages of the invention, will be seen in the following disclosure of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention depicting the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention. The disclosure includes a drawing, briefly described as follows.